For his entire tenure, retired President Uhuru Kenyatta lived with the burden of illegitimacy as a result of the cloud of uncertainty over his electoral victories in 2013 and 2017, as well as the handshake. He was branded a thief, both electoral and economic, and a political conman; with almost 50% of the population, majorly from the opposition strongholds, deeming him not worth leading them, nor worth working with. But even with his hits and misses, he still led for 10 years! A word from the larger Western region and Coast was that “we cannot work with an election thief”, all this under the incitement and (mis)leadership from self-serving politicians whose only mission was self-preservation and self-aggrandizement as was witnessed by the 360 turn after the handshake. Unfortunately, the presidency of President William Ruto has started on the same spiteful and inciteful note and such retrogressive traits must be arrested lest we end up with another ‘Ichaweri Ending”, this time round, for the people:
Our Honorable Legislators, please demonstrate your opposition to the ‘bad government” by proposing meaningful and realistic alternatives through actionable legislative and policy interventions, and by progressively and selflessly undertaking their constitutional roles of representation, legislation and oversight; IN PARLIAMENT and other constitutionally gazetted spaces; not in funerals, rallies, churches and media. As a legislator, you can also support the implementation of the government agenda by engaging your people, mobilizing and organizing them into meaningful economic groups and exposing them to the opportunities in government and other local and international spaces. Support the government by refusing to be corrupt or a blind loyalist of your party leader; engage and collaborate with other government and development agencies, and private entities, to ensure continued community impact, and bring partners and investors to create jobs and business opportunities for the jobless people in your areas.
As a Governor, and with the devolved functions and the massive revenue potential in ALL the counties, stop complaining about the national government when, with judicious and fiduciary decisions, you can independently generate revenue for the development and empowerment of the people through prudence in the management of county resources, application of sound governance practices, and creation of meaningful people focused development partnerships and investment alliances.
To The Professionals and Business People, be legal and ethical, and manage your hunger and ambition. The Quantity Surveyors must stop overestimating the Bills of Quantities on the government. The Engineers and Project Managers must stop doing or approving shoddy work. The Accountants and Auditors must stop cooking books of accounts and covering up for the crimes. Doctors and other Medical Professionals should stop stealing drugs and other health paraphernalia in government hospitals. The Procurement Professionals must evaluate and award tenders based on merit and value for money to the people. The Educationists must do their job within the stipulated timetable. If the time or money is not enough, don’t take the job, resign, or pick it up with the relevant government agencies, don’t load that burden on the parents. They are just voters like you, most of whom are without a salary or reliable income like you.
And most importantly, to the citizens. . . DO YOUR JOB! You hired people to work for you, follow them up and ensure that they do that work that you hired them to do, if not, FIRE THEM. Start with the MCA, MP and Governor; don’t just jump onto the President. Be intentional and take action because taking actionable action is your only job! And you can start by acquainting yourself with the constitution and its provisions, especially in regard to your role in the leadership that we have and your part in the mess that you are complaining about.
Summarily, for the economy to grow to the citizen expected perfect standards, every citizen, public servants included, must do their job and do it perfectly. By being alive and alert to your civic responsibilities and rights as a citizen and “ordinary” leader, you end up being governed as you deserve and desire; because “you get what you deserve”, “you get what you work for”, and “good things come to those who intentionally make decisions and employ effort with righteous consequence”. That said, anyone who supposes themselves as a leader should step up, engage the leadership gear, and ideologically collaborate with the government in the delivery of its mandate. As for the followers, kindly shut up and accept to be led as is the nature of followers.
By Kennedy Odweyo, Blogger and Political Economist
